[mwritter]

Just dropped my 421 in my '65 last night and bolted up my R/A manifolds for the first time. The driver's side manifold down by the flange contacts the frame just behind the rear lower control arm mount. The manifold has a piece at the flange that sticks out a good 1/2" that doesn't seem to do anything at all except create a clearance problem.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Any harm in pulling the manifold and grinding this spot down flush? I need to double-check to make sure this isn't where one of the studs mounts, but I don't think so.

[RicksGTO]

I had the same problem on my '69 GTO. The extra metal on the "ear" of the flange would have hit the edge of the A-frame on mine. I was at Paul's house, the R.A.R.E. guy, here in the Dallas area when I picked up my set and he told me before I took them I would need to grind that ear down for my application. It should be ok as long as your talking about the extra casting on the ear and you leave enough of the ear around the threads to support them. Rick

[mwritter]

Thanks Rick - I'll pull the manifold tonight and grind it off, after I check to make sure I won't affect the threads for the flange. Looks like I put my engine crane away too soon!

[rolling money pits]

Originally Posted by RicksGTO

I had the same problem on my '69 GTO. The extra metal on the "ear" of the flange would have hit the edge of the A-frame on mine. I was at Paul's house, the R.A.R.E. guy, here in the Dallas area when I picked up my set and he told me before I took them I would need to grind that ear down for my application. It should be ok as long as your talking about the extra casting on the ear and you leave enough of the ear around the threads to support them. Rick

if you could post pix, that'd be fantastic. ive got a 69 and have the 2.5" ram air manifolds from pypes that i plan to have coated.

i dont have the ability to mock up prior to install, so id dearly love to see where the interference lies, that way i can make some preemptive grinds prior to coating.

thanks

[David Jones]

I had NO clearance issues with my RARE manifolds.
69 GTO automatic

[mwritter]

I didn't take a before pic, but the "ear" I had to remove was on the frame side of the driver's manifold, just above the outermost flange stud. I did take two after pics before I recoated the manifold. Hopefully the area that was ground will show up.

[mwritter]

Obviously the second pic was the wrong one - let's try again.

[RicksGTO]

Here's a pic of mine on a '69 GTO, hopefully you can see the rounded off ear on the outside of the flange on the stud away from the block. (be sure and test fit the flange to the manifold studs as I think I remember the holes/ears are not spaced evenly, each flange will only fit each manifold collector one way, if that makes sense) It was the a-frame bolt head that caused the interference with the flange in my case. I think Mr. Witter was having interference from the excess material of the collector ear just above the flange mounting area. Maybe they are being more careful about trimming the ears on some of the other pairs now. Some people evidently have to grind them a little and some don't.